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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
Price increases coming from Nikon and Canon
Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 6:55 PM on 01.22.11 |
->> Many of you will probably already know this, but in case not, my sources tell me that both Nikon and Canon are planning major price increases in February across the board on all products in reaction to currency fluctuations (weakness of the dollar) and other influences. If you're on the fence about buying something, other than the D4, do it now. We've already seen that in the new lenses that Canon came out with (70-200 2.8 II IS at $2,200!!!)
After the price increases hit, it'll be a good time to sell some used equipment for the same reasons. There's been some really good stuff on the classifieds lately apparently in good shape and reasonably priced. |
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Brad Mangin, Photographer
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Pleasanton | CA | USA | Posted: 7:06 PM on 01.22.11 |
->> Phil- is this the same source that told you Mark Fidrych died yesterday?
Rest in peace Bird. |
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Kevin Novak, Photographer, Assistant
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Bel Air (Baltimore) | MD | USA | Posted: 8:16 PM on 01.22.11 |
->> Phil,
Just gotta say that your first photo on your member page is awesome. |
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Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 1:10 AM on 01.23.11 |
->> Hilarious, Brad, Touche'! I had to give you a "funny" on that one.
And Thanks, Kevin... pree-shate-it! |
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Clark Brooks, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 10:25 AM on 01.23.11 |
->> "Just gotta say that your first photo on your member page is awesome."
I'd like to second that comment. Nice image, Phil. |
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Paul W Gillespie, Photographer
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Annapolis | MD | USA | Posted: 2:45 PM on 01.23.11 |
| ->> Didn't just raise the price substantially last year? And nice shot Phil. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 3:19 PM on 01.23.11 |
->> There's mounting inflationary pressure in many industries - much of it for the cost of raw materials. Most metals are up compared to a year ago as economies start to regain steam so this doesn't surprise me at all.
As an example, the major appliance industry manufacturers in the U.S. have announced 6-8% increases. Effectively, you'll see an increase in prices of probably 3-4% on the better volume units. The tire industry in the U.S., which benefited from a tariff of 30% on Chinese made tires last years, has raised prices several times. Part of the issue is demand has outstripped capacity to build, the other is that a tire is 80% oil and prices in that sector have risen over the past 12 months with most car manufacturers guessing there will be $4/gallon gas sooner or later. Part of the oil pricing is due to cheap dollars, the other part due to world wide demand.
In other words, inflation IS starting to rear it's ugly head. If you can afford to buy something now, probably a good time to do it.
Michael |
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Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 4:11 PM on 01.23.11 |
| ->> Great analysis, Michael and right on the nail head. With Obama printing money 24/7 as fast as the presses can run, inflation is inevitable, and, of course, the worst is yet to come. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 5:13 PM on 01.23.11 |
->> Obama is printing money all right, Phil. What isn't being talked about is that other world economies have been doing it for over a year. We do it to stay competitive and we're the bad guys.
I'm not defending Obama necessarily, but the screaming heads either don't know it or don't want to talk about it.
The new world game is to export your unemployment somewhere else. Even the Chinese aren't immune, Viet Nam is offering cheaper labor.
The good news some American corporations have figured out that it isn't that much cheaper to build in other places. There's a hopefully growing trend to bring manufacturing back to the U.S. In the meantime, the use of cheap dollars is giving the U.S. a competitive advantage in exports. That's what the deal with Obama and Jeff Imelet from GE was about on Friday. That's significant because GE was the one that started the trend to outsourcing customer service to India and moving appliance product to Mexico. They recently announced a major shift to production of appliances back to Appliance Park.
Unfortunately, it's making products we import more expensive, and that means Nikon and Canon will take price hikes. |
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Darren Whitley, Photographer
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Northwest Missouri | MO | USA | Posted: 6:44 PM on 01.23.11 |
| ->> Manufacturing will come back when they fix healthcare and the judiciary. With attorneys mucking everything up, this isn't a place you want to do anything more than sell, sell, sell. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 7:42 PM on 01.23.11 |
->> "With Obama printing money 24/7 as fast as the presses can run, inflation is inevitable"
The President doesn't control the printing of money. US currency is printed by the Tresury Department under the direction of the (independent) Federal Reserve Bank. The current US inflation rate is less than 2 percent which is below the rate (3-4 percent) that is actually healthy for the economy. A continued low inflation is bad for the economy (see: stagflation). IOW we need more inflation (just a bit, not a lot) if you want our economy to grow.
You can send your apologies directly to the President. I'm sure he'll thank you.
"Manufacturing will come back when they fix healthcare and the judiciary"
Right on. It's a damn shame that they didn't fully fix our health care system by giving us a single payer one but those darn Republicans screwed things up. Maybe the next attempt at a fair system (like the ones most modern industrialized nations have that insures EVERYBODY) will succeed.
As for fixing the judiciary you'll just have to wait until all those Republican appointees resign so that thinking human beings get sworn. Did you know that Clarence Thomas has, for the past six years or so, been marking "nothing" on the disclosure form where it asks for his wife's income? He seems to thing that the hundreds of thousands of dollars she's been raking in don't count.
What a shame. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 7:43 PM on 01.23.11 |
| ->> And that first picture on your member page (the lady golfer) is spectacular. |
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Bryan Hulse, Photographer
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Nashville | Tn | USA | Posted: 10:09 AM on 01.24.11 |
->> 1) It’s cool how a thread can go from raising prices on camera equipment to yet another Health Care debate in 11 posts.
2) A spitting match over Dems and Repubs is pointless. Especially when the reality is that there are crooks on both sides of the isle that we could all call out as talking points. Why bother?
3) My brother lives in Cambridge, England. Thru him I think I have a pretty good understanding of how a one payer system works, and (without getting into ugly details) for most people it is a big step backwards.
4) I think reasonable people don’t want to shut down any progress that has been made, nor do they want to keep the crap in place that was passed last year. They want a rational discussion on how to make a better system, without ruining the economy, without destroying the service they currently get, and without companies and unions in bed with politicians receiving special treatment or favors. Seems reasonable to me.
Back on topic: I'm glad Phil posted this because I have some stuff to sell. Now I will wait a month or so for the price increase! |
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Butch Miller, Photographer
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Lock Haven | PA | USA | Posted: 10:28 AM on 01.24.11 |
->> Over the past many decades, the price fluctuations for gear produced in Japan/China have always been influenced by currency exchanges ... sometimes we benefit, sometimes not so much ... has very little to do with whether judges divulge the earnings of their spouse ... or if politicians can agree on how to reform health care ...
It's always disconcerting that a simple discussion on equipment pricing devolves to bashing those with whom you disagree on the political front ... but it does show that neither side of an issue has cornered the market on limited thinking ... |
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Phil Hawkins, Photographer
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Fresno | ca | usa | Posted: 1:10 PM on 01.24.11 |
| ->> Like it or not, the US is driving the train on the world economy. Price increases in the US on cameras and equipment manufactured by foreign companies is directly impacted by currency exchange rates, which are impacted by confidence in the US economy. Confidence is understandably shaken when we increase the budget deficit as precipitously as has been done with the health care law. These things are all interconnected. We're printing money because of the crash of the financial system and what Obama had to do to shore it up. I'm not an Obama supporter, but he did the right thing. The Treasury made 12 billion dollars selling the Citigroup stock they took. The loans to Citigroup, GM, AIG and others has largely been paid back and in some cases, huge profits to the Treasury resulted. Remember your Macro Economics 101 class; one of the main reasons for the Great Depression was a lack of liquidity in the financial system. Obama is printing money to add liquidity. It's not a particularly good thing to do, but it's the lesser of all other evils. So, a discussion of the world economy is very definitely "on topic" when planning major capital expenditures in camera bodies and lenses. We're not the only industry caught in that dilemma. Not understanding these influences when running a business is like running down the street with your eyes closed waving sharp knives. |
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Mark Peters, Photographer
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Highland | IL | USA | Posted: 2:16 PM on 01.24.11 |
->> I may disagree with Mr. Colburn on issues of politics but I'm missing where what has been posted here rises to the level of inappropriate. Have we really become that thin-skinned?
Back on topic....Phil's right....beat the increases and go buy my 300/2.8L IS now. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 2:51 PM on 01.24.11 |
->> 1) Some people here have little or no sense of humor.
2) Some people here only have to see my name before they mark whatever I've posted as "inappropriate".
3) This discussion shouldn't have veered off into a discussion about health care in the first place but whenever I see something that's (IMO) wrong I will offer a correction. To those of you with the ever-so-fast "inappropr1ate" fingers, deal with it.
4) I still like the lady golfer photo. |
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